a NEW diagnosis... sort of

Hey everyone, Jasper's mom here again. Okay, so it has been a very long week and a half here in our house. Again, please bear with me because this is gonna be another long one...

So on Friday (8/9/2013) Jasper and I went in for his first check-up since the original diagnosis of IMHA. They were checking his bloodwork again to see if his RBC count was coming up like it needed to be. Unfortunately those were not the results we got. His RBC's had dropped AGAIN , from 29% to 25%... not good. And his WBC count had skyrocketed up past normal levels, which meant that the few RBC"s that his body was making were getting attacked by his WBC. Again, not good. And you guessed it, I had a breakdown right there our little room. The Dr scheduled another appointment for the following Monday (8/12/2013) to do an ultrasound to see if anything was missed from the xray they had done the week before. (His belly was too full for them to really see anything that morning which is why another one was scheduled for Monday.) And she also put him on an additional medication meant to fight any type of parasites or infections that could have possibly come from a tick or something of the like. We went home and took it easy over the weekend and then went in on Monday morning. Another round of bloodwork was sent off to the lab this time (to save a little money) and the ultrasound came up clean, nothing that they could see to indicate why his RBC count isn't coming up. The Dr called yesterday and had his new bloodwork results. While it's not bad news, it's still not an answer. His RBC count only went down 1% and she was okay with that because his WBC count had also come back down. The WBC's are now at a normal level which could give the RBC's a fighting chance, and it also gives us a little more time to figure out what is going on. She also spoke with 2 specialists reguarding his condition and after the consult they are all leaning AWAY from the IMHA being the primary diagnosis (meaning this was NOT caused by a vaccine). They think that the anemia is now secondary to something else like an ulcer or GI bleed that they can't see on the ultrasound. So we are going in on Saturday (8/17/2013) for another full panel bloodwork (they haven't done a full panel since 7/30/2013) so they can check all of his levels again and they are also going to put him on 2 additional meds for a possible ulcer. They are also going to start weening him off of 1-2 of his other meds.

So again, this is where we are right now. He's not stable just yet, he's kind of plateaued and his Dr and I are okay with that for right now, again it gives us a little more time to figure out what is actually going on. He's been a little perkier lately and is playing with toys again. We are taking it one day at a time... :)

Thank you so much for all of the prayers, thoughts and well wishes. We have noticed that a lot of you have been sent over by Baxter and we are very grateful for the support.

Until the next update...

A Diagnosis

Hi there!! Jasper's mom here again. Bear with me, cause this is gonna be a long one. Well, after the last 2 months of worrying and wondering and KNOWING that there was something wrong with my baby (and trying to convince people that he wasn't just getting older), I finally have an answer. Jasper's official diagnosis is Immune-Mediated Hemolytic Anemia. The official description is: IMHA occurs when the red blood cell counts are destroyed by the body's own immune system.  In Jasper's case, this was brought about by the vaccines he received in June 2013 (which was when his symptoms started). He had a full diagnostic blood test done on Tuesday 7/30/2013 and it showed that both his red and white blood cell counts were both low. His doctor wasn't sure why this was and suggested we wait another week or two and then do another round of tests. I was not comfortable with waiting that long. On Friday 8/2/2013 I took him to a new doctor (someone recommended by a friend). They did another round of blood work and a digital abdominal xray, and that's when they discovered a few things. One: he was severely backed up and constipated (poor thing), which resulted in an enema (fun times). Two: his heart is a little enlarged, very possibly due to it working overtime because of the anemia. Three: there is nothing around his spleen like originally though, no growths, nothing logged or stuck. And four: that his CBC's had dropped significantly just since Tuesday. She then made the diagnosis of IMHA, but pointed out that at this point it was not life threatening. But it doesn't mean he is out of the woods yet. He was put on two medications: a steroid and an immune suppressant. The side effects for these two medications are: excessive thirst and urination, panting, increased appetite, and possible food aggression. The first week is crucial, if he responds well to the medications and his counts come up on his next blood test (Friday 8/9/2013) then the prognosis is good. But there are still a lot of things up in the air. We won't know for months whether or not he'll have to be on meds for the rest of his life. And he will probably never be able to be vaccinated again (not sure I would do it again even if it is possible). And for me one of the most heartbreaking things, is that he can never be the social dog he once was. No more trips to the pet store, the dog bakery, social/fundraising dog events (like walks and races), and no more dog parks. No more contact with dogs whose medical history I don't know.  And as of right now, he is kind of a "dog in a bubble" until he gets better, like a doggy quarantine.

As of today, things are good. His demeanor and attitude are 200% better than the last couple of weeks. He has been playful and lively again, which warms my heart. His appetite is back and not aggressive, and he is drinking lots of water. His "bathroom schedule" is good, poops are back to normal. I am anxious to get his test results on Friday.

This is Jasper's case, and how we are dealing with it. I am not condemning or pushing the use of vaccines. As Jasper's mom, I did what I thought was best for my boy. Do I wish I had pushed for the blood work sooner? Yes, but I can't change that now. Do I blame his original doctor for the vaccination? No, but I do hold her accountable for blowing off his symptoms as a stomach bug or virus and not suggesting blood work sooner than 2 months later, but it's also my fault for not asking for it. I will be continuing his treatments with the new vet, I feel like he is in good hands. I will also be contacting the drug manufacturer of the vaccines to report this. I am continuing to do research about IMHA and what I can do to help my boy. Some of the info is scary, and I realise that we are very lucky. Mortality rates are as high as 80%, and the thought of losing Jasper is too awful to even think about, but could still be a very real possibility. All I can say is, talk to your vet. Ask questions and voice any concerns you may have. No one knows your pet the way you do, if you feel that something is wrong with your dog or cat, tell the doctor. Follow up. And if you don't feel as if you are getting the care your pet deserves, seek a second opinion. I did, and it very possibly saved Jasper's life.

Thank you so much to everyone for all the support, prayers, well wishes, and local & long distance hugs and kisses. We feel all of your love here in Louisville, KY. 

tired but getting better :)

Happy Gotcha Day

4 years ago, me & my brother were picked up by 2 ladies in a blue car. They drove an hour & a half to meet us & then took us all the way home to live in Louisville, KY. Best day ever...

first pic mom ever took of me, that's my brother's butt in the background :)

car ride to our new forever home



chomping on helicopters in my new backyard

 Thank you mom, for choosing me!!

*J

Note from mom: BEST decision I ever made... :)

I'm just a love machine...

Moooooommmmm!! My glasses are crooked!!!!

Hee hee, I'm trying out my new Valentine's Day glasses... what do you think??

*J

Christmas recap from nurse Jasper

Hello there, everybody! I just wanted to give you all a rundown of things at my house. Mom & I have both been under the weather lately... you know, me with my back muscle & mom with the flu. She started feeling bad on Christmas Eve & it just got worse from there. So we have both been on some form of "quarantine" for the past couple of weeks. I did my best to take care of her & make her feel better, & she said that "snuggle bugs from the pup" are the best kind of medicine so I snuggled as close to her as I could, but I never saw any "bugs". I was hoping I would, cause they make tasty snacks, ya know??  Anyhoo...




*snuggle*



I have been taking very good care of my back & have been using my ramp on & off the couch (not every time, but mom says that some is better than none.) And I love all the massages mom has been giving me, they make me all ooey-gooey relaxed...

And even though mom didn't feel good, we had a great Christmas!! Santa did not disappoint, I got all kinds of snackies & toys & there is even a present left under the tree that mom says I get to open tomorrow on New Years Day! I am a master at opening presents, just in case you didn't know. :)




My new jacket :)



And this year I took my 3 weenie cousins to see Santa & we all got our picture taken together!!



LtoR: Squirt, Oscar, Chief & me!!


So to all my friends out there in bloggerville, I hope you had a very Merry Christmas with your friends & family, I know I did! And mom & I are wishing you all a wonderful & safe New Year!!


*J

down for the count

Well friends, about 2 weeks ago I hurt myself. It was my back, but not my spine, thank goodness. The Dr said that it was probably just a muscle spasm or strain, but I have been on crate confinement & told to keep my activity low when mom is home. We also do ice packs & heating pad sessions, which I really like. I have no problem laying still for that...

me & my heating pad & my blankie

I started feeling better & then I had a relapse (because I didn't listen to mom & stay put).  Mom says that she will be keeping a better eye on me & that she will update everyone as soon as she can.

See you guys soon...

*J

PB Sunday

So every once in a while, something pretty amazing happens. When mom has scraped every last bit of peanut butter out of the jar that she can, she turns to me & asks me if I want to lick the bottle? LICK THE BOTTLE?!?! Like there is any other answer than YES, YES, YES!!!

And now if you'll excuse me, I need to spend some quality time with my snackie...


*J


Note from mom: many, many peanut butter scented kisses were given by one happy puppy after this photo was taken. :)

New harness!!

Yep, you guessed it!! My new harness from Baxter's mom came in the mail & woo hoo is it spiffy!! There was even a new toy inside the box, which I can only assume Baxter & duk duk slipped in as a surprise for me... :)

Mom calls this one my "everyday" harness, one that she doesn't have to worry about me getting dirty. But don't be fooled by it's plain appearance on the outside... there's a super secret fun print on the inside. But you won't tell anyone if I show you, right??

Check it out...

Super cool, huh?? There's even a fun little robot charm on the back of my harness to match it. :) And after I had my little photo session, mom let me have some alone time with my new toy...

Thanks again to Baxter's mom for my new harness, it's super comfy & fits me perfectly!!  I love it!!  Not a bad days haul for a little doxie, huh??

If you are in need of a new harness for ANY occasion or just for everyday use, check out Baxter's blog & click on his mom's "how to order" link on the right hand side to order one for yourself.

Now it's time for walkies to break it in...

*J

The big bathtub

Hey there everybody!!

I hope that you all have been having a good summer so far!! What are you doing?? Swimming? Hiking? Going on picnics? Mom & I went on a beach vacation last week & we had a blast!! Although, when she took me to see the ocean for the first time I was a little confused. Why would she be so excited about something that looked & felt a lot like the bathtub??


"It's the ocean, honey! Isn't it fun?? Isn't it beautiful??"

I don't know mom, it looks awful big to me... and I'm all wet & there's stuff sticking to me & I don't know what to do about it.

In the grand scheme of things, I guess it wasn't all bad. I got to see lots of nice people & some of them took pictures of me (mom called them my paparazzi) & I got to meet lots of other dogs. The waves kinda scared me though, they were loud & came at me really fast. Once I got used to them it was a little better.

We walked along for awhile & mom collected some seashells & I got to smell some pretty interesting stuff. It wasn't too bad I guess, but I told mom it was okay of she went without me next time, I was fine back at the condo watching TV.


All in all, it was a great vacation. We got to hang out with my Auntie Heather & Uncle Mike & my brother Pilot, & my Uncle Josh came to the beach with us too. Plus my Uncle Mike's bandmates were there, so there were tons of people to bark at & play with.

Now I think I need a nice long nap to recover from my vacation...

:)

*J

Harley's Visit

So two weeks ago my Uncle Brian & Uncle Paul went all the way to Virginia to visit my mom's grandmother and mom & I got to have my cousin Harley for a whole week!! We had so much fun together!!  Harley is about 4 years older than me & he doesn't like to play as much as I do, but mom says he tolerates me pretty well... whatever that means...

We did a lot of lounging around together...

especially when the laundry came out of the dryer all nice & warm...

we went on walks together...

kept an eye on the neighborhood squirrels...

and I even shared my toys...

Thanks for coming & staying w/ me & mom Harley!! You are welcome anytime!!

*J

I'm Still Here!!

I just wanted to send out a quick hello & let everyone know that I am still here in good ol' bloggerville, but mom & I have been very busy lately. We have had all kinds of visitors, 2 & 4 legged (post to come later), & 5 nights a week we go over & visit my wiener cousins Oscar, Chief & Squirt!! We always have soooo much fun playing together!! 



L to R: me, Oscar, Chief & Squirt


And then there's the really BIG news... mom & I are going on vacation next week... TO THE BEACH!! I have never seen the ocean before & I am super excited!!  Mom says I will love it, she's from the east coast & says that she pretty much "grew up in the ocean". And the even better part... we are going w/ my Auntie Heather & my brother Pilot!! So please stay tuned, cause mom says that she is gonna take a TON of pictures!!

And before I forget, I want to thank my friend Marley who gave me an award a couple of weeks ago & I never got around to passing it along. So thank you Marley!! You are such an awesome dog & friend, and mom & I love looking at your blog & reading about your adventures!!

Talk to you all again soon!!

*J

Happy Father's Day!!

I hope everyone out in bloggerville is having a happy & fun day!! And I wanted to wish a very special Happy Father's Day to my Uncle Brian & Uncle Paul in Kansas City & my Uncle Mike in Nashville!! 

Happy Sunday!!

*J

Back to normal... & Derby

Hey there everybody!! I hope you all have been having a great couple of weeks, mine have been out of sorts a little. Mom had to go alllll the way home to Virginia cause her Granddaddy passed away, so that meant I had to spend a week at camp. Now don't get me wrong, I LOVE camp!! I get to run & play with other doggies & I get fun treats like frozen peanut butter balls... but I miss my mom. I miss her so, so much when we are not together... she says that she misses me more but I don't think so. Either way, I'm glad things are back to normal.


While she was away, here in Kentucky there was a little horse race that you might have heard of... The Kentucky Derby?? Last year mom took some pics of me with a rose (since it's also called the Run For The Roses) & I thought I'd share some with you.

And CONGRATS to this years derby winner, I'll Have Another!!

Thanks for sticking with me everybody, I know that I have been slow on the posts but I'm trying to get mom back on track, & we've got some fun stuff coming up, so stay tuned!!

*J

Happy "Gotcha" Day!!

3 years ago today the greatest thing happened to me... I met my mom & got to come live in my forever home!!  I am the luckiest pup EVER!!  So to celebrate, I thought I would show you some pics mom took on our first day together...

My very first picture!! Check out Pilot in the background :)

car ride home...

mom says this is one of her favorites :)

...chomping on a helicopter...

napping w/ Pilot :)

can you see me??

I hope you enjoyed my puppy pics!!  See you again soon!! :)

*J

Nap time

Ahhh, sleepy sleepy nap time.  Mom & I took a break today after going to Bark in the Park.





We had a great time today, I got to meet tons of new doggies & smell all kinds of stinky smells & I ate a bunch of treaties.  Every booth was giving them out & we went around more than once so by the time we got home my tummy was FULL!! 

And mom even got 2 new scarves for me to wear, 1 is even for Christmas time!!  Check 'em out...



cool huh??



Happy weekend:)

*J

Moment of Silence

Today is a day for sadness & remembrance.  One of mine & mom's favorite blogs is The Long & Short of it All & today the sad news came that the hostess of this wonderful site, Maggie, has passed over the rainbow bridge.  She leaves behind her brother (Joey) & dad and tons of admirers around the globe and she will definitely be missed.  Mom & I are very sad to hear this news & just wanted to pay our respects to Maggie, below are some quotes mom found that express how we feel:

"You think dogs will not be in heaven? I tell you, they will be there long before any of us."

                               (Robert Louis Stevenson)

"Not the least hard thing to bear when they go from us, these quiet friends, is that they carry away with them so many years of our own lives."

                                       (John Galsworthy)

"Dogs don't know about beginnings, and they don't speculate on matters that occurred before their time. Dogs also don't know — or at least don't accept — the concept of death. With no concept of beginnings or endings dogs probably don't know that for people having a dog as a life companion provides a streak of light between two eternities of darkness."

                                         (Stanley Coren )

"A person who has never owned a dog has missed a wonderful part of life."

                                           (Bob Barker)


Rest in peace sweet Maggie.

*J & his mom Amy